Funcom has announced that a subscription is no longer required to play the company’s modern-day massively multiplayer online game ‘The Secret World’. The game is now available online and in retail and starting today no subscription fee is required to enjoy any of the game’s content, features or storylines. There are no complicated rules or restrictions, no complex matrixes telling you what you can and cannot access. Pay Once, Play Forever – it’s that simple.

Buy the game before December the 31st and all the content in Issue #5, which will be released shortly, will also be included and you will receive the Initiate Pack, which includes strong starter weapons, a Blood Raven pet and extra social clothing.

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“With this recent change there is no reason not to join and take part in ‘The Secret World’,” says Game Director Joel Bylos. “Most players end up having a ton of fun once they delve into the myths and legends of ‘The Secret World’, and we believe the game has the potential to be even more successful without the subscription entry barrier. It is an ambitious and very exciting move for us!”

Besides working tirelessly to expand ‘The Secret World’ through new content and features, Joel Bylos is also currently preparing for the end of the world, expected to come on December 21st 2012. Recently, Bylos released the first in a series of videos chronicling his final days on earth. Meanwhile, in the realm of the sane, Funcom is also currently running a special end-of-the-world alternate reality game.

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‘The Secret World’ is one of the most unique massively multiplayer games ever released, breaking the mold on everything from its modern-day setting to its freeform progression system that is neither built on classes or levels. The game received several glowing reviews after launch earlier this year, with magazines such as PC Powerplay saying “The Secret World is a breath of fresh air in a stale genre” and TenTonHammer reporting that “Funcom has colored outside the tried and true lines of the MMO genre”. As of now, ‘The Secret World’ has a user rating of 8.2 on MetaCritic and 8.50 on MMORPG.com.

Since launch, the talented and dedicated live team working on ‘The Secret World’ has pushed out four major content updates, adding everything from new weapons to an entire raid to the game. This post-launch update plan is among some of the most ambitious in the MMO industry, and the team will continue to create free updates – also called Issues – as well as offering optional paid content packs.

For those who want to get the most out of their Secret World experience there is an optional Membership available. Being a monthly subscriber, for the same cost as before, now gives great benefits. For being a member you get the following:

Time Accelerator (Clickable item which increases experience gain for defeating monsters by 100% for 1 hour, 16 hour cool-down – only usable by Members and Grand Masters)

$10 worth of Bonus Points (given out every month)

Item-of-the-month gift (given out every month)

10% discount to everything in the in-game store

The Grandmaster pack includes all these benefits and gets an additional 10% discount to everything in the in-game store, for a total bonus of 20%. So being a Grandmaster is better than ever. Through the month of December we have a special offer where we give 30% off on the first purchase on the 3, 6 and 12 month Membership plans.

There are new items available through the Item Store, made to save time for those so inclined. In addition there will be lots of new social items such as clothing and pets continuously added to the store, so check if frequently if you wish to stay abreast with what is new.

Ability Points Potion – This potion will double the Ability Points you receive for the duration of its effect.

Run Speed Upgrade – It is now possible to directly purchase the run speed increases (identical to those which can be purchased through your Secret Society).

A steady flow of new content and deeper game systems have been introduced to The Secret World since launch, and much much more will follow in the future. Issue #5, The Vanishing of Tyler Freeborn, is just days away from release.

Issue #1: Unleashed was the first update to The Secret World. It introduced a full mission pack, adding content to all the game’s major regions. Several Nightmare dungeon modes were also unlocked, giving veteran dungeon crawlers even more brutal tests to their skills.

Issue #2: The second update, Digging Deeper, gave players the very first Auxiliary Weapon – the Rocket Launcher. The Issue included several new missions and Nightmare dungeons, in addition a barbershop and plastic surgery gave the players many new options for changing their looks.

Issue #3: In The Cat God The Secret World had its first seasonal event with Halloween, and players got a completely new storyline with an epic fight in Stonehenge. Furthermore new missions were made available, and the dangerous Lairs got a big boost.

Issue#4: Our biggest update yet was Big Trouble in the Big Apple. It added a new raid in New York, a second Auxiliary Weapon – the Chainsaw, the Albion Theatre in London, new missions and Lair content, and a big PvP enhancement for the Fusang Warzone.